Open your Bibles...

So I totally started my one "New Year's Resolution" early.  Like yesterday.  I told y'all, as part of my book craze and goals for 2011, I downloaded The One Year Bible for my Kindle.  It's a read-the-Bible-in-one-year kinda thing, hence the name.  And it starts you on January 1st, so I figured this would be an excellent goal for the New Year.  But I couldn't wait.  I totally started it yesterday before work.  But I am so glad I did because it had me reading the Christmas story as part of day 1!  What perfect timing.  It was Matthew's account of Jesus' birth, so it was more matter-of-fact, but it still had me tearing up. 

 

I know I'm only two days in, but I'm already in love with this reading plan.  Lots of Bibles provide "reading plans" in the back of the book so that you read it all in one year, two years, whatever.  But The One Year Bible is most excellent because it gives you a selection from four different books everyday, but you don't have to go digging for them.  It's all laid out for you, day by day.  The Bible is very intimidating if you don't know your way around it - so this is perfect for a newbie!  Plus you don't have to do it in one year.  It tells you how to stretch it out into a two-year or even a four-year plan if need be.

 

After I initially mentioned my one-year reading goal, my bestest asked for suggestions on Bibles.  I am by NO means an expert, but I'll tell you what I like to use.  I have a basic Bible on my Kindle (English Standard Version - I think it was a freebie) that I use at church.  My Kindle's on me all the time so I don't have to think to grab my Bible on the way out the door to church.  And the cool thing about Kindles is that the screen does not light up like a phone or iPad screen - so it's not at all distracting to the people sitting around you.  Because yes, if your something lights up, it's totally distracting. 

 

For studying and as a companion with small group studies, etc, I use my Starting Point Bible.  This Bible has lots of great extras, including some really good reading plans, but what I love most about it is the introductions written for each and every book in the Bible.  Awesome, awesome, awesome.  Before each book begins, there is a great introduction explaining who wrote the book, who it was written for, what was going on in the world at the time, what the central message of the book is, and when it was presumed to have been written.  Maybe it's just me, but that just takes the Bible to a completely new level.  I guess it just makes it more "real" or something.  More personal. 

 

So yeah, as I'm reading through The One Year Bible, I've got my Starting Point Bible at my side so I can read the appropriate introduction each time I start a new book.  I highly recommend both of those.  I know there are lots of other great study Bibles out there that have some fabulous footnotes.  One of my friends has one where the footnotes literally take up half of each page.  The Life Application Study Bible maybe?  Don't have one myself but it's apparently a popular one.  I went to a Christian school, so I had many a student Bible but I don't remember a one.  I was probably more focused on my current crush at the time.  Priorities!

 

It's the most popular book of all time, so what's your favorite Bible?

 

On a completely different note, my new obsession is mint hot tea.  I met a new friend at Starbucks a couple of weeks ago and I was stumped on what I should order.  Sbux is not very Moo Goo friendly - their only non-dairy option is soy, which I learned the hard way I do NOT tolerate well.  BTW, Starbucks, it's ridiculous that soy is your only non-dairy option.  So many people are allergic to or intolerant of soy.  Get some almond milk or something!  Geez.  ANYway, so I opted for one of their decaf teas.  They were out of like half of them and so I settled on the Tazo Refresh blend.  I added some honey and oh my - SO delish!  So I've been looking and looking for this blend at the grocery (most of ours sell Tazo teas) but I have yet to find the Refresh blend.  But the other day I noticed a Peppermint herbal tea from Bigelow.  *Sniff* - it smells like the Sbux variety.  Well, I'm drinking some now and it's darn near close!  Great for a sniffly nose too - which I'm often sporting this time of year.  It clears up the sinuses a bit.  Give it a try if you're looking for something new!